Retrieve/Recover data following my stupidity when asked to save changes

[Guest]

Can i retrieve data entered into a spreadsheet (after several hours of work) when I accidentally clicked "no" when asked if I wanted to save changes. I attempted to system restore, however, that failed to return my previous entries.

 

[Norman Harker]

Hi Philly!

Afraid not!

System Restore specifically does not touch files that you create.

Jan Karel Pieterse's AutoSafe might be an Addin that will be better at
preventing this problem.

http://www.bmsltd.co.uk/MVP/Default.htm


Here's the blurb:
The standard Autosave (note the spelling) utility that ships with
Excel just saves workbooks at a set interval, overwriting the file on
disk. This is not very convenient if you planned to leave the master
file intact and save the changed workbook using a different filename.
It also does nothing to simplify recovery of unsaved/changed documents
after a system crash. This Autosafe utility creates copies of open
workbooks at regular intervals in a separate (user-selectable)
directory. It does not overwrite the master file(s), that is up to the
user to do, using normal methods. As soon as a workbook is closed the
backup copy is deleted from the backup directory. If an abnormal
termination of Excel occurs, the backup copies remain on disk, and
Autosafe finds them the next time Excel is started and presents
recovery options to the user. This utility is freeware only for
individual (private) users.

--
Regards
Norman Harker MVP (Excel)
Sydney, Australia
(e-mail address removed)
Excel and Word Function Lists (Classifications, Syntax and Arguments)
available free to good homes.

Can i retrieve data entered into a spreadsheet (after several hours

of work) when I accidentally clicked "no" when asked if I wanted to
save changes. I attempted to system restore, however, that failed to
return my previous entries.

 

[Guest]

Thanks Norman, for the speedy reply. How do I retrieve files that have been backed up recently?

Thanks again

Philly

 

[Harlan Grove]

Can i retrieve data entered into a spreadsheet (after several hours
of work) when I accidentally clicked "no" when asked if I wanted to
save changes. I attempted to system restore, however, that failed to
return my previous entries.

No. You're out of luck. Wiser, though.

 

[Norman Harker]

Hi Philly!

If you've backed up recently, that will be listed in the recently
files list that you see when you use File > Open.

Otherwise you might need to use Explorer to locate the folder and
names that you backed up under.

Sometimes, using Start > Search > For Files and Folders using *.xls as
the search string might help.

--
Regards
Norman Harker MVP (Excel)
Sydney, Australia
(e-mail address removed)
Excel and Word Function Lists (Classifications, Syntax and Arguments)
available free to good homes.

 

[Gord Dibben]

Norman

Jan's Autosafe works same as XL2002 Autorecovery. User is still responsible
for making periodic backups manually.

Is the case described by OP, Autosafe or the Excel Autorecovery would do
nothing to prevent the loss of data.

Unless manual or Autosave backups were made, the data is gonzo.

Perhaps OP has file settings to "Always create backup" and can look for any
*.XLK files.

Gord Dibben Excel MVP

 

[Guest]

Thanks for your subsequent replies of last evening. Unfortunately, the data is MIA so I am spending my day re-entering.(in frequent back-up mode).

Guess i need to add Jan's auto save. Is it online?

Philly

 

[rob nobel]

Hi Philly, You may be a candidate for downloading the autosafe.xla addin
which saves a backup (temporarally), as often as you choose.
Download this utility at:
http://BMSLTD.CO.UK/MVP
Or find it in the CompuServe Office forum:
http://forums.compuserve.com/vlforums/default.asp?SRV=MSOfficeForum&LOC=US
Regards,
Rob

 

[Dave Peterson]

Actually, Jan Karel Pieterse's AutoSafe won't help in this case.

From Jan Karel's notes:

This Autosafe utility creates copies of open workbooks at
regular intervals in a separate (user-selectable) directory. It does not
overwrite the master file(s), that is up to the user to do, using normal
methods. As soon as a workbook is closed the backup copy is deleted from
the backup directory.

It works very nicely to catch excel/windows crashes (like autorecovery in xl2002
and above), but not for recovering these kinds of oopsies.

 

[rob nobel]

Oops, I think. I thought that if it saves a backup that the backup will be
deleted to the recycle bin when Excel exits correctly. So, if at any time,
say 2 hours of putting in data, and the autosafe pgm has saved backups every
10 mins or so, that when the user mistakenly clicks no to save changes that
the backup still exists.
Rob

 

[Dave Peterson]

Hmmmm.

I never thought of this. And it works nicely.

Jan Karel Pieterse notes in the documentation that the file is named something
funny--like:

CÐÞDATAÞtest.xls(Backup Copy)

But if you can find it in your recycle bin (I did twice while testing). You
could restore it to the folder that is set in File|autosafe settings, rename it
and there's a good chance you'll get your data from the last autosafe save.

So first apologies to you and Jan Karel--for underestimating his programs
functionality.

My question is: Is this functionality designed in or serendipitous? <bg>

Either way, it might save some frustration.

Thanks for the correction.

 

[Dave Peterson]

I just saw the later post.

Jan Karel did it by design.

Apologies again for ever doubting you JK!

 

[rob nobel]

Cor...I got something right for once.
A serendipitous moment for me I guess.
Count: Dave 10^1Googleplex to Me 1
Rob

 

[Gord Dibben]

Dave

I read Jan's post earlier. I hadn't realized prior to this that he had the
"save to recycle bin" feature which is more than the Excel Autorecovery will
do.

Gord

 

[Dave Peterson]

me, too!

(Are you going back to fix those other answers??)

 

[Gord Dibben]

No going back, but will make note in future that this is more than
Autorecovery.

Gord

 

[Gord Dibben]

Also.....

after much soul-searching I must confess I never read the *.doc enclosed with
the Autosafe.zip file which points out the Recycle bin feature.

Gord

 

[Dave Peterson]

And I verified that it puts the file in the recycle bin via testing.

I didn't notice it on Jan Karel's settings dialog. (3 checkboxes. I missed one
of the three!) (But I did notice how to set the backup location.)